for Federal grant/loan for a low income project, it was said, and in writing, that them agreeing to do so was not to be seen as a commitment to approve any future request, but Mark Solomon on Monday said in a follow-up to Murphy and Mitchell that everyone knew what it would be, the vote "was unanimous," as if all the Council had already agreed to the independent living low income project zoning request itself. No, they had not already agreed to it by giving permission to seek a grant in February and Mitchell even clarified that in February. In fact, Mitchell and Murphy voted against that subsequent request. I could agree that they should not have voted yes in February, only to vote no in August, except that it was clearly stated to not be a commitment to approve any future request. It was even more certainly not an agreement for any certain location.
Congrats. Mark Solomon fit right in.
He was very mayoral when he pulled the resolution, resolving to something already resolved (passed by the council after considerable work, before his arrival), to resolve it again after some shout outs. It was more like he is a state legislature than any mayor we have had. It was stinky but I can see how impressive it was to a few. He very adroitly set the mini event up. Gosh, without him, it never would have happened. That's not nearly as sly as the game he played against or with Mitchell. I wonder how that will pan out come next election.
Gary shouldn't smart off about HOA Larry M., especially to his face. Did he confuse him with HOA Northern George (the one he called the dirty name)? We are beginning to think that not only does Gary think he is better than those east side people but also those real-real east side people (the gasp panhandle people).
It was wild the other week when Murphy said they should find someone else to market the land. Then this week, after insulting the quality of the development (again), he remembered to say he wasn't talking about Ferrara (trying to throw out a save). Murphy is like that, slaps, stabs, hugs and kisses (you never know when or where). Ask Mitchell, who will never give up on him. He needs to keep his one fair weather friend on the CC. Does he promise not to help run Davis against Murphy? Does Murphy promise not to say that Mitchell accomplished little and vote against him? I heard on Monday that Murphy, Stewart, Mitchell are aligning. Does Gary know?
Oh, Omar, the umh, pander umh bear. Sorry that Stew showed up and made him nervous and he yacked more than he has since the budget retreat when he got onto the staff.
Stewart, what are you doing rounding up all those angry panhandlers (who were finally pried away from their backyard spas, pools and far flung Spanish vacations, just kidding)? And you, snuggling up to Murph. Really. They thought they got rid of all the real-real east side people and then you go showing up. Can you please tell Omar that you are not running against him. Make sure your law enforcement friend R Roland doesn't get heard over any not hung'd up phone where you both insult Mitch and the rest of the politikians in town. I doubt most of them have forgotten that. Has Eisemann offered again to pay for Roland to run for Council? If so, who against this time since the target jumped out of the way and since there's no real-real east siders there any more? Well, maybe next time, no? Too bad about him not making the finalist category and being cut out of the COR po chief position.
Mitchell, you are getting better at GS'ing (grand standing). Picking up pointers from the Murph. It was funny when you pointed out that there were about ten parcels around west Arapaho that needed to be looked at (for visioning). Now what could you have been talking about. That was almost Shepherdesque. Did you mean to let Solomon and Macy run away with the remarks about check cashing places and apartment inspections. Those were your babies. They didn't know anything about that when you, Hand, Davis and your council posse were hatching those. Thanks, by the way.
Oh the plantive intermittant whirl of the Mace. I get a kick out of all the times he goes like, "I agree with Gary." "I agree with Gary." "I agree with Gary." I love all the grating and extra clumsy things he says, especially about others, like he is just spoiling for a fight when no one was bothering him (he should not count on that now since he won't let up) and how he rides Gary's angry coat tails, to distraction and bother. My opinion is that he doesn't want the open checkbook for at least one reason.
Par for the course behavior. His daughter, soon after Macy gets on council, is helped along by DaddyMacy and Amir Omar (she acted as his campaign treasurer), and Gary (who rounded up endorsements, help, invitations and advice for Omar, like some of the same for Solomon) into getting that cool $30K embroidery contract (of a $65K embroidery budget. Wow). What a co inkydink! That's a sweet chunk for a little shop. Macy fits right in, perfectly. So do his daughter's defending words into the neighborhood. In my opinion, his words indicate worry about company names and company business hanging out there on the city checkbook. It is true that people will be eyeing the checkbook and all the entries. A little blip is one thing, but payments on the city checkbook is another.
Contracts run over the authorized amount and you would normally never really notice it hardly. Smaller contracts are written and if they do not exceed a certain amount, you would never know (Ask Gary and his some-say-nemisis, one of many he has made over the years, Commissioner Dickey regarding that CapitalSoft deal that nearly slipped by the Commissioners' Court in Dallas County. It did not fly. Maybe they heard of the Collin County trouble with a bigger deal and that cancellation. Or the Chicago deal, and that contract fiasco firing). Someone may go out and look and see that "so-and-so" company or whoever is getting money from the City and that's a concern because it was brought up. In my personal opinion, the second reason he is not keen on it, is, well, you guessed it. He is trying to agree with what he thought Gary wanted. Things got a little confusing for him trying to play double defense, in my opinion. Gary's political cues are hedgey when he is annoyed, while trying to play dumb, in my opinion.
I can't help but wonder what is next. An incubator sew n sew shop inside a leased jet parked on the cleared lots cross from the libary? Will there be an exclusive franchise agreement required for construction debris haulers involved in preparing for a bridge and watch tower operation from City Hall with catering and a golf course inside, used for private COR executive, elusive liquor "congratulation" parties, complete with a resident high dollar paid pro? Have you ever wondered who all has the keys to the golf clubhouse? It's just down the street, you know.
Townshend, you did well, as often you do in public. I see you are trying to make up for some of your past sins by promoting a type of person (to fill your spot when you step down) that you and your college fraternity kept out, as you tell it. I am also really glad to see you are trying by cutting down on the flipping and snearing. I applaud anyone for trying to do the right things, finally. I won't get into who you gave tax payer abatements to and what you purposefully overlook that goes on. You continue to fit in well, but don't change too much or you won't.
Keffler was funny when he stressed the stability of the council and succession planning (really? Don't tell Angie Chen Button who crowned Gary "Lifetime Mayor" in front of then mayor Steve Mitchell and got the community bus loads of Chinese from the retirement home to vote for candidates who would vote for Gary for Mayor the next time... oopsy, you forgot to destroy the list written down. (They keep messing up, drats).
Angie benefitted from Gary, Eisemann and Coalition Company and vice versa but boy did she blow a gasket when Gary pushed to hire Fred Hill when she was supposed to be the representative. But all is well.
Remember when Angie and Gary got Keffler to ask the council to let her have a Richardson (LD 112) political office in City Hall but the non team players said "no." So everything isn't completely perfect (at least one of them is still left to pay back for that one, right).
Anyway, how much bond rating agencies rate that "continuity" is odd because they didn't care if Mitch or Slag was mayor, and my opinion is that they won't care when Mark S. or A. Omar is the mayor, but it sounded good, as in it sounded like buttering up to Gary. From what I have seen, Gary would throw Keffler under the bus and has, but Keffler is definitely loyal and defends him at seemingly all costs, and is well compensated (sometimes seemingly setting his own compensation with Gary behind the scenes, but with no contract covering the full actions because when one was requested concerning that big chunk of money to Keffler and later to some of his posse and how was it that the tax payers were supposed to pay for his personal financial advising, nothing was produced that covered all the action).
I also liked when Keffler said let's "call a spade a spade." I have doubts if that is really what will happened when he speaks of salaries (increasing benefits), or of geneouros golf contracts, a jet lease, and what have them, at the city. It seems to just be a phrase to pass out more lucre in my opinion. But nice spades if you can play them.
Fun With Council.
